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The latest development in the long running saga that is the battle by Italian asbestos victims to hold Swiss asbestos billionaire Stephen Schmidhieny to account for damage done by the operations of Italian factories owned by the Swiss Eternit Asbestos Group was a Turin Court of Appeal ruling last month which found him guilty of the asbestos deaths of dozens of workers and residents. The defendant was sentenced to 9.5 years for the manslaughter of 91 people. See: Eternit bis, i giudici su Schmidheiny: “Sapeva dei rischi ma scelse di ignorarli” [Eternit retrial: Judges on Schmidheiny: “He knew the risks but chose to ignore them”].

A commentary in the Guardian newspaper on October 20, 2025 highlighted the fallout from the continued failure to address the UK’s deadly asbestos legacy. According to the author Tom White, much of the 6 million tonnes of asbestos imported into the UK during the 20th century remains hidden within the national infrastructure. This toxic material is deteriorating; as it does so, carcinogenic fibers are liberated thereby endangering the health of anyone in the vicinity such as workers, building users and members of the public. The laissez-faire attitude towards asbestos in the UK was compared unfavorably to policies adopted by governments in Korea and Australia to minimize toxic exposures. See: It’s still killing people, and the government has yet to act: Britain’s hidden asbestos epidemic.

According to business owners in Canari, Corsica, the ongoing asbestos decontamination work on the site of the island’s former asbestos factory – termed the “Construction Project of the Century” – has not been a boon to local businesses. Although the authorities promised that 15% of the budget, €1+ million (US$1.16m), would go to islanders, anecdotal evidence shows that most of the companies employed at the site were from mainland France. See: Démolition de l'usine d'amiante de Canari: les entreprises corses relativisent l'impact économique [Demolition of the Canari asbestos factory: Corsican companies put the economic impact into perspective].

Data obtained last week from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed a remarkable development in asbestos imports. In the aftermath of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Brazil became the largest asbestos exporter to India, the world’s largest asbestos market. This position had for many years been held by Russian producers. While Brazil was India’s largest supplier in 2022-23 and 2023-24 exporting 175,994 tonnes [t] and 155,437t respectively compared to Russia’s 96,306t and 129,700t, in 2024-25 Russia resumed its traditional position sending 192,611t to India compared to Brazil’s 133,807t. In recent years, Kazakhstan’s asbestos exports to India also increased from 1,010t in 2020-21 to a peak of 25,168t in 2021-22 before falling in 2024-25 to 19,528t. See: Indian Asbestos Imports 2017-2025.

Asbestos contamination of schools in Italy remains widespread; ~5% of the country’s schools, used by 352,000 students and 50,000 teachers and school staff, are affected. Campaigners are petitioning Giuseppe Valditara, the Minister of Education, to implement a nationwide program to prioritize the eradication of the asbestos hazard from the educational infrastructure, provide health monitoring of staff and students, and set up a compensation protocol for the injured. See: Asbestos, thousands of schools contaminated: Italy is lagging behind in removal.

On October 15, 2025, new data was published by the Ministry of Education which showed that the number of schools in South Korea still containing asbestos exceeded 1,725. According to national guidelines, asbestos removal work at schools is carried out during vacations so as not to disrupt the work of the schools. Critics say that due to the slow speed of progress in eradicating the hazard, the deadline of 2027 for the asbestos decontamination of schools is looking in jeopardy. See: 전국 유치원·학교 1725곳에 '석면'…"2027년까지 제거는 현실적으로 어려워" [‘Asbestos’ in 1,725 kindergartens and schools across the country... “realistically it will be difficult to remove by 2027”].

Earlier this month, Judge Daniele Gallucci of the Civil Court of Lecce, southern Italy ordered the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to pay compensation of €1 million (US $1.16m) to the family of an 80-year old mesothelioma victim. The MoD was also ordered to pay legal costs of €18,000+ as well as other unspecified costs. According to the judge, there was a causal link between the deceased’s asbestos cancer and the exposure to asbestos he experienced between 1954 and 1994 during his naval service. See: Il Tribunale di Lecce condanna il Ministero della Difesa: 1 mln di euro ai familiari dell’operaio morto per amianto [The Court of Lecce condemns the Ministry of Defense: 1 million euros to the family of the worker who died of asbestos].

According to news released by the Department for Work and Pensions, compensation tariffs paid under the UK’s Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS), the last resort for mesothelioma victims unable to obtain compensation from former employers, will be increased by 49%. When the DMPS was set up in 2014, claimants received 80% of an average compensation payout; this was increased in 2015 to 100% with a fixed award of £7,000 for legal costs. Since then, payments have lagged behind increasing court awards and inflation. While more improvements are still needed, campaigning solicitors welcomed these changes. See: Asbestos claims lawyers welcome increase to Mesothelioma Scheme awards.

The text cited below described a September 24, 2025 workshop entitled: Asbestos – Europe's Silent Killer – The Fight Isn't Over which took place at the European Parliament headquarters in Brussels. The session was organized by Per Clausen, a Member of the European Parliament representing the eco-socialist political party from Denmark: Enhedslisten. During this event, a powerful new asbestos documentary – Moral Fibre / La Fibra Sensible – by Spanish film director Isabel Andrés Portí was screened. Following the film, representatives of Belgian asbestos victims, trade unionists and MEPs had a wide-ranging discussion about the deadly hazard posed by asbestos material hidden within EU countries. See: The Commission's “simplification” agenda should not become “simply” dying from Asbestos.

Between 2021-2022, a team of Italian researchers examined the psychological impact of asbestos exposures among 362 at-risk workers participating in the Tuscany Region’s health surveillance program. The focus of this investigation was: risk perception, emotional distress and evaluation of available health services. The co-authors of the paper cited below highlighted the “need for integrated mental health support within health surveillance programs” and recommended that psychological interventions, including counselling and education, be provided as well as medical monitoring. See: The psychological impact of asbestos exposure: risk perception and emotional distress among former workers in Tuscany.

Responses from 305 residents from 30 asbestos-affected low-middle income neighborhoods of Cartagena, Colombia were used to quantify awareness of the hazard posed by living in premises containing asbestos material. Asbestos-cement roofing was found in 87.5% of the homes studied. Although 55.8% of the people questioned recognized the health hazard, few took precautionary measures when dealing with the toxic material. The authors concluded that: “residential asbestos exposure remains a major health risk in these communities.” See: Asbestos Exposure in Low-Middle Income Communities of Cartagena, Colombia: A Survey of Knowledge, Practices, and Environmental Contamination.

On the evening of Friday, October 10, 2025, Auckland’s Pitt Street fire station was closed after firefighters had discovered asbestos contamination. Pending tests to quantify the problem, specialist vehicles and equipment at the station would be out of service said Martin Campbell, the Vice President of New Zealand’s Professional Firefighters’ Union, who was critical of the poor management and leadership which had led to toxic working conditions at the station. On Saturday, specialist operatives were brought in to the premises to begin air monitoring and swab testing. See: Union wants answers after discovery of asbestos at central Auckland fire station.

Feedback from Canadian trade unionists informed the choice of research projects which succeeded in obtaining Workplace Cancer Research Grants from The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) in 2025. Of the four grants, worth a total of C$800,000 (US$571,000) awarded earlier this month, two will support research into workplace asbestos exposures and lung cancer. The funded project led by Dr. Nathan DeBono of Ontario Health, will examine “the effectiveness of lung cancer screening among construction workers exposed to asbestos.” The one led by Dr. Paul Demers will quantify the total costs of all Canadian cases of occupational lung cancer in 2026. See: Canadian Cancer Society funds new research tackling workplace cancers.

According to the document cited below, the import, storage & use of asbestos-cement sheets and similar building material were banned in Togo by Decree no. 97-256/PR of December 3, 1997. Notwithstanding the prohibitions, the levels of public and professional awareness of the hazard are low according to the 47-page 2025 monograph entitled: Study Report on Asbestos in Togo by Kodjo Ambroise Troveh & Herman Amewu Dovi. Recommendations were made in the text for measures to: improve the management of in-situ asbestos, centralize knowledge and data collection, provide technical support to decision-makers, implement and monitor prevention and training programs for the construction sector, develop skills and build technical capacity. See: Study Report on Asbestos in Togo.

The article cited below considered ongoing health challenges in Brazil despite the national asbestos ban (2017). Having highlighted the hazard posed by asbestos liberated by disasters such as the floods which affected 484 municipalities in 2024, the authors stressed the importance of developing a national asbestos management plan which “should include measures for prevention, safe identification, and removal of materials containing asbestos, as well as providing training and provision of protective equipment for workers and residents, with a focus on vulnerable areas such as urban hillside regions.” See: O perigo oculto do amianto em situações de desastres: reflexões para futuros enfrentament [The hidden danger of asbestos in disaster situations: reflections for future confrontation].

Having rejected rejecting an appeal lodged by lawyers for the Villa Sofia-Cervello hospital, the Court of Palermo ordered the health authority to pay compensation of €30,000 (US$34,700) to the family of mesothelioma victim Giuseppe Canino who died in 2015. A miscommunication by the hospital resulted in Canino receiving an incorrect diagnosis of his disease; he was not told he had contracted sarcomatous mesothelioma. By the time the cancer was identified, the patient was unconscious and unable to make important decisions. See: Diagnosi di tumore in ritardo, confermata la condanna per Villa Sofia [Delayed cancer diagnosis, conviction for Villa Sofia confirmed].

In the run-up to November meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in South Korea, grassroots activists held “The Ban Asbestos from the Asia-Pacific Region” protest in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul on October 21, 2025. The event was organized by the Asian Citizens' Center for Environmental Health (Eco-Health) and supported by a variety of groups active on environmental and health issues. Commenting on the demonstration, Director of Eco-Health Choi Ye-yong said: “The continued use of asbestos in Asia is contrary not just to APEC’s core objectives but also to the human rights of every individual…. It is time for APEC and other regional bodies to do the right thing and mandate a regional ban on the use of asbestos.” [Read full article]

The news that the first UK toxic talc litigation by cancer sufferers was in the pipeline had been circulating for a couple of years. On October 16, 2025 this was confirmed when a class action began at the High Court in London on behalf of 3,000 plaintiffs who believed their diseases were caused by the use of asbestos-contaminated baby powder produced by the American pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J). Although news of the class action was reported in North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, the country with the most intense interest in the case seemed to be Russia, the world’s largest asbestos producer. Interested? Read on. [Read full article]

While much has been written about the deadly health consequences of the commercial exploitation of asbestos, the environmental damage done by asbestos polluters has, to some extent, remained unexplored. The mountains of carcinogenic waste and toxic debris left behind by asbestos profiteers continues to endanger the health of local people long after mining and manufacturing operations ceased. Photographs and text in this article describe multiple examples of the deadly contamination left by asbestos producers and manufacturers in North America, Africa, Asia and Australia. [Read full article]

The article which can be accessed at the link provided was written by Julian Branch, an outspoken critic of Canada’s failure to deal with the deadly legacy posed by the continued use of deteriorating asbestos-containing pipes to deliver water. The head-in-the-sand approach adopted by the authorities and public utility companies to the threat posed by ingested asbestos in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon and British Columbia seems to be validated by the lack of action taken by Health & Welfare Canada – now Health Canada (HC) – and the federal government. Branch detailed decades of missed opportunities and concluded with, considering the neglect shown to date, a possibly over-optimistic hope that a current reassessment of the situation by HC might bring improvements. [Read full article]

Recent developments in East and Southeast Asia have highlighted the continued importance of bilateral and multinational collaborations in the struggle to address national asbestos legacies. The exchange of information and the sharing of expertise remain essential tools in neutralizing the efforts of industry lobbyists who continue to actively promote the interests of asbestos stakeholders at national, regional and international forums. In the post-Covid era, there has been a resurgence of multinational collaborations as illustrated by developments in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Seoul, Korea; and Jakarta, Indonesia which are discussed in this article. [Read full article]

In her review of “Bad Dust, A History of the Asbestos Disaster,” published this month by Repeater Books, Laurie Kazan-Allen explained that the genesis for this work had been the mesothelioma death of Albert Popple, the granddad of author Tom White. As many other talented people before him had done, White harnessed his grief “to create a work of art that spoke not only of personal traumas but universal truths.” “Bad Dust is,” the reviewer explained “a well-written book which ponders important subjects.” This text will be of interest to people interested in the history of the asbestos tragedy as well as many more readers trying to grapple with wider 21st century issues such as the unending struggle for a sustainable future, corporate accountability and environmental justice. [Read full article]

In recent weeks, international groups have submitted key evidence to the Central Jakarta District Court which is hearing a case brought by asbestos vested interests, represented by the FICMA trade association, against individuals and groups that petitioned the Supreme Court for its endorsement of measures imposing mandatory warning labels on asbestos-cement roofing products. After the Supreme Court upheld this petition (2024), FICMA launched a ferocious legal attack on the petitioners claiming massive financial damages. This letter deconstructs one of FICMA’s principle arguments, namely that failure by the UN to list chrysotile (white) asbestos as a hazardous material supported industry propaganda that exposure to asbestos was “harmless.” [Read full article]

The high-profile participation of ministers and institutions from the Cambodian Government in recent activities in Phnom Penh designed to raise asbestos awareness and implement a transition to asbestos-free technology reconfirmed the Government’s commitment to ending asbestos use and building medical capacity to diagnose and treat citizens injured by toxic exposures. Opening the three-day conference: Improving Diagnosis and Response to Occupational Cancers: Asbestos and Dust Related Diseases Cambodian Health Minister His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra called for the country to prioritize inter-ministerial collaboration to establish frameworks restricting toxic imports and phase-out asbestos consumption. [Read full article]

The timely article by Professor Arthur Frank is a damning indictment of global failures to engage with the threat posed by the continued presence and use of deteriorating asbestos-containing products throughout national infrastructures. Such toxic substances contaminate our homes, schools, hospitals, vehicles, water systems and environment. Almost half the text of this new feature, dealt with the health hazard posed by the use of asbestos pipes to deliver water. The concluding words of this commentary were chilling: “it is alarming that increasing amounts of exposure and increasing findings of ingestion-related asbestos disease continue to be noted in the scientific literature, with little being done to either educate the public or to educate physicians about these risks.” [Read full article]

A new medical scheme was launched by Liz Darlison, from Mesothelioma UK, and Kim Brislane, from Australia’s Asbestos Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI) at an August 27, 2025 meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The initiative is a collaboration of Mesothelioma UK, ADDRI and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS). Welcoming news of the positive reception for the pioneering program, IBAS Coordinator Laurie Kazan-Allen said: “Asbestos-related diseases are notoriously difficult to diagnose. Experience has shown that building medical capacity of nursing staff can make a huge impact on the experiences of patients and family members.” [Read full article]

A recent analysis of global asbestos trade figures for 2023 revealed startling developments in four former Soviet Union Central Asian countries. While the world’s two biggest asbestos producers Russia and Kazakhstan consumed a mere 0.76 and 0.72 kilograms/kg per person that year, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan used a staggering 3.4 kg and 2.34 kg per capita and Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan 1.6 kg and 1.57 kg. According to an academic paper by scientists from the Kyrgyz Republic and Italy (2024), awareness of the asbestos hazard and asbestos monitoring capacity in all four countries are extremely low. [Read full article]

The headline of a front-page article in the Daily Mail on August 4, 2025 was as shocking as it was controversial: “Asbestos Kills More Troops than Taliban.” According to the first sentence in the hard-hitting exposé by Steve Boggan: “Asbestos killed nine times more military veterans than there were British victims of the Taliban during the Afghan campaign, government records reveal.” While a handful of other UK news outlets picked up this story, it was widely covered by the Russian media. This development was noteworthy as Russia, the world’s biggest producer of asbestos, continues to deny that asbestos exposures can cause cancers and other deadly diseases. [Read full article]

News that an asbestos-laden 50-year-old Italian ferry – the Moby Drea – was bound for Croatia in July/August 2025 was not well received by people living near the Brodosplit shipyard. The day after the ship arrived, hundreds of people turned up for a high-profile protest which was supported by NGOs and local politicians including the new Mayor of Split. Campaigners continue their efforts to secure answers to the very detailed questions raised by the seemingly illegal import of the toxic waste site that is the Moby Drea. The uproar in Split shows no signs of abating any time soon. [Read full article]

It continues to amaze me how each country needs to do its own research to reaffirm the deadly consequences of asbestos exposures. Newly published reports about the health hazard posed by airborne and waterborne asbestos fibers in Kyrgyzstan, Iran and Canada are typical. According to the texts of these academic papers: “a remarkable amount of chrysotile (white asbestos)” was found in the air and lungs of people living near asbestos processing factories; air samples taken in high-traffic areas had high to very high asbestos fiber concentrations; and samples from rivers in a former asbestos mining region showed “an increase in the concentration of asbestos fibers in the water and sediments.” [Read full article]

During the 20th century, a handful of multinational conglomerates controlled global asbestos production, processing, marketing and sales. For decades, the industry’s dominance of the asbestos agenda enabled it to off-load liabilities onto individuals, communities and governments. The price paid by the injured was horrific and the economic costs incurred were colossal. Recent political and legal developments in the UK, the Netherlands and Australia suggest that traditional corporate asbestos avoidance strategies may have been compromised. [Read full article]

An intriguing and somewhat confusing headline – Trump Administration, Reversing Itself, Won’t Rewrite a Ban on Asbestos – in the July 7, 2025 issue of the New York Times caught my attention. Three weeks previously, the Republican government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had confirmed its intention to overturn asbestos prohibitions implemented by the previous administration. By July 7, all that had changed. The shift in approach from formal rulemaking to the provision of guidance on complying with the terms of the prohibitions realigns the US with other G7 countries and 36 of the OECD’s 38 members which have banned asbestos. For the time being, the status quo has been reinstated. Whether it remains in place, only time will tell. [Read full article]

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Demonstration in Woluwe Park, Brussels, 2006

Under cloudy skies, members of Belgian and French Asbestos Victims' Associations from Dunkirk and Bourgogne marched side-by-side in the third annual demonstration organized by ABEVA, the Belgian Association of Asbestos Victims. Erik Jonckheere, ABEVA's Co-chairman, condemned the government which still refuses to recognize the plight of the asbestos injured.

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